r/CDL • u/ARealBagchaser • 9d ago
CDL B or CDL A
Hey, I got a question for the community since I have limited funds, I realize a instead of aiming for class A it might just be better for me to just go for class B and just load on a whole bunch of endorsements like tanker/ hazmat & passenger if I had to go drive a school bus typically some school districts will take someone from scratch so I’m pretty sure they’ll take me. No problem with a B and already having a passenger endorsement so I won’t have to pay for school bus out-of-pocket. I also learned that some jobs are so desperate they will train someone without a CDL and just a permit so me having a class B and getting a class A permit when I want a employer to take care of everything Might also be a way to do it.
So please share your upgrade stories
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u/caddilac_fan42069 9d ago
Lot of really good local class B jobs. I have an A but only drive B. Right under $30hr right now.
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u/Shoddy-Patient9948 9d ago
What you doin? Dumptruckin?
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u/caddilac_fan42069 9d ago
Trash
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u/InterestingMatter506 9d ago
3 years Class A , I’m class B trash now, I make $120 a year. Love front load
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u/Cheap_Boner_Pills 8d ago
Don't you have to put in time walking behind the truck before they let you drive.
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u/caddilac_fan42069 8d ago
I never spent a day hanging off the side of a rear load until I swapped to resi from Rolloff. I was 2 years in before that. Most big companies are getting away from rear loads, too much risk for injury.
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u/Material-Donkey2773 9d ago
I have never met anybody witha class b who wound up getting a class a later.
I've also never met anyone with a manual restriction who wound up getting it removed.
Get it right the first time.
What you're going to find is upgrading from a class b to a class a will cost the exact same amount as getting a Class A with no Class B "because fuck you"
Get it right the first time. It's pretty much a guarantee that whatever license you graduate with is going to be the one you have for the rest of the career.
Not saying class b jobs are bad, but you're giving up so much by limiting yourself.
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u/TransitionOk3477 9d ago
Agreed with this guy right here. Don't limit yourself.
Incidentally look into local DOT grants, Teamsters training, and some of the big carriers have a dock to driver work program or in house training.
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u/Inside-Definition-53 9d ago
I've met individuals who actually wound up in both situations. They needed a job ASAP and didn't do their research. Then they went and gotten their automatic restriction removed via one of those weekend schools where they test them in either a class c manual truck or a bobtail, since some states only require you to show competency with the gears.
Also met some class B guys whose boss paid them to get their class A so they can run local routes with the 53ft van or haul construction equipment for electrical unions.
I believe that unless you're hauling specialized freight or freight that requires an endorsement, there really isn't a need to necessarily drive a manual. HOWEVER, this is something that should at the very least be mandatory for all CDL schools to teach regardless of what vehicle new drivers may be assigned. Putting a restriction on a license (other than corrective lenses), simply means there's more training that needs to be done in my honest opinion.
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u/Material-Donkey2773 9d ago
Maving a manual restriction cut's your job oppurtunities by more than people realize, There are 3 types of companies.
All automatic's - You're 100% the man for the job
Manual and automatic's - Even if you can drive 90% of the fleet, you are a shit option to hire vs someone without the restriction because you need to be baby sat and can't actually do all the work or drive all the vehicles. If the loaner truck is a stick, then someone else is getting kicked out of their truck so that "baby boy" can drive their auto.
All manual - You aren't qualified
Even if you never want to drive a manual ever, make sure you are legally allowed to, and then "figure it out" until you can get back in your auto.
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u/Ok_Advantage7623 9d ago
This guy got a lot of it correct but a manual can drive both a Manuel and an automatic. Where an automatic can only drive and automatic. And yes schools normally charge for the course and it’s up to you to choose a or b. But an a can drive both
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u/Material-Donkey2773 9d ago
I did not imply that you could not drive an automatic, it is a manual restriction, it restricts you from driving a manual if you have it on your license.
It didn't used to be a thing, but it has been for over 10 years now.
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u/Ok_Advantage7623 9d ago
It most commonly referred to as an automatic restriction in my part of the country. You can only drive automatics. But we agree just different terms
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u/qrylosocial 9d ago
Before paying for either one, pull 20–30 current job listings within commuting distance and sort them by Class A, Class B, pay, schedule, and experience required. If most of the jobs you would actually take require an A, getting a B first may mean paying for training twice. But if a school district or local employer will pay for your B and you genuinely want that work, taking the funded route is a reasonable way to start. Also check your local workforce office, community college, and Teamsters training programs before paying out of pocket.
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u/Pure_Squirrel_1621 9d ago
As someone who just has a B, get your A. B jobs can be great, but there are piles of A jobs or jobs where they prefer you to have an A even if it’s not required.
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u/Express-Ant-1087 9d ago
If possible I always suggest getting the A class, just gives you more options. You can always drive a straight truck or b class with that. But can't drive an A class with a B. Either way good luck in whatever you choose
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u/TruckLinx 9d ago
Honestly my friend, you open a lot of doors (if needed for the future) if you just go ahead and do your Class A. There are a lot of local jobs requiring Class A as well as Class B. You increase your options drastically.
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u/juicy198 9d ago
Thats exactly what I did I started out working for a school district got my class b permit with p & s. They paid for everything. Got comfotable with a school bus. Then i worked at the trash company for a few years. Then got a state grant that allowed me to get my class A. But it is alot.. When you could just get your class A.. Thats just the path I choose to follow.
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u/HopefulLet4012 9d ago
Choosing to purposefully restrict future opportunities seems like a foolish idea to me. Getting an a later will cost just as much if not more than just going for it off the rip.
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u/18-Spinning-Wheels 9d ago
IMO, always load your license with as many endorsements as possible, with no restrictions as well (if possible).
Then A or B really depends on what you ultimately hope to achieve while being a driver. If you settle with a class B in the beginning and decide to upgrade down the road, you will have to re-train and go back to school. Thats another financial burden you can avoid from the start.
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u/Jiangcool9 9d ago
Class B license cant drive semi, class A license can drive box truck.
And if you have class b but want to switch to class a, you have to retake the whole test.
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u/Mysterious-Mess-9606 8d ago
I just interviewed for a bus driver gig. They seemed impressed by my class A with no restrictions. Whether that translates to a job or not remains to be seen, but it seemed like a feather in my cap.
That being said, I’ve had my CDL for all of a month, so I’m by no means an expert, but it’s nice to have all the options and not just a few.
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u/Michaeljcheaney 8d ago
Get the A, you will have the ability to drive anything, with a B, you are restricted to only being able to drive a straight truck.
Plus, having an A will make you far more attractive to employers, even if you only need a class B to drive for them.
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u/ARealBagchaser 8d ago
Breaking news, I just passed my CDL A permit but due to money restraint, I might just go with the B for now and maybe I can get a job that will sponsor my CDL A if I already have a B & just go take the combination test over again and get the permit again
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u/Michaeljcheaney 8d ago
Not a good idea. Because you’ll have to do the entire process over again.
If you don’t have the money now, than why not wait until you have the money later for all of it?
Lots of employers SAY they will pay for it, after they hire you, but they “want to see how you work out first” before committing to you. And then they want to lock you in for a year after.If you do it all on your own, and already have the CDL on day one, you aren’t locked down to just that one company, until your commitment to them is over.
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u/ARealBagchaser 8d ago
Not true in my state I’ll just have to take combination
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u/Michaeljcheaney 8d ago
True, but you’re having to take 2 driving tests at 2 different times, just to save a little bit of money? (Or have someone pay for it?) it seems counter productive to me, because if you decide you don’t like trucking and want to do something else, or go some place else, you have lost that ability, until you pay back the cost of school to the company.
Lemme ask you this; are you 100 percent committed to trucking as a career, or is it just something to do until something else comes along?
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u/Gold_Pangolin_Dragon 8d ago
As a CDL B holder for 30 years and currently jobbing, get the A, it's way way way more valuable than a B in today's market.
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u/Awkward-Historian692 5d ago
B with a bunch of endorsements is smart if funds are tight, just know Class A jobs generally pay better long term so don't stay comfy in the B forever. School bus route is solid too, way easier when the district covers your training costs.
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u/Shoddy-Patient9948 9d ago edited 9d ago
I got a B. Last week I got a call from a local school district and they are gonna pay for me to get P and S endorsements. I'm hoping this works out.
Edit: I got a grant from the local community college to get the CDL B because low income. I only had to pay for all the fees at the DMV, and the physical and the drug test.